The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98White Yogracelandxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of Chrysanthemum cultivar Yograceland, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. Ser. No. 12,512 to X-ray radiation in October, 1998 in Fort Myers, Fla. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted and terminal apices were removed (pinched) three times to promote lateral branch development. After lateral branches from the third pinch reached sufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted and flowered in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within this population in April, 1999 in Fort Myers, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1999. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar White Yograceland has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98White Yogracelandxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98White Yogracelandxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Strong, dark green foliage.
3. Uniform flowering response.
4. Can be grown as a disbud or as a spray-type.
5. Early flowering, eight-week response time.
6. Large daisy-type inflorescences that are about 11.7 cm in diameter with large anemone centers.
7. White-colored ray and white-colored disc florets with bright yellow-colored apices.
8. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about three or four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yograceland. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Yograceland in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower slightly earlier than plants of the cultivar Yograceland.
2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are white in color whereas ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yograceland are light pink in color.
Plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar White Blush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,441. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar White Blush in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous and larger than plants of the cultivar White Blush.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are anemone-types whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar White Blush are daisy-types.